Glass monuments



' (No Model.)

G. W. MoLEAN.

GLASS MONUMENT, TABLET, &c.

No. 248,661. Patented Oct. 25,1881.

N. PETERS. Flwto-Lllhogmphor. Washinginm D. Cv

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PATENT GLASS MONUMENTS, TABLETS, 8w.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,661, dated October 25, 1881;

Application filed June 4, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER W. Mo- LEAN, of New Berne, in the county of Craven and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Glass Monuments, Tablets, 850.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates in general to monumental structures and devices, and is intended to be applied more especially to commemorative structuressuch as pillars, tablets, slabs, shafts, tomb-facades, and monuments for cemeterial purposes-where said objects are exposed to the action of the elements.

It consists primarily in such a structure made from glass.

Secondarily, it consists in certain features of construction, hereinafter explained, and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings illustrates a somewhat elaborate monument containing my invention. Fig. 2 represents a headtablet, and Fig. 3 a foot-tablet, made from glass. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections of a monument or tablet illustrating, respectively, raised and sunk letters of an inscription formed or secured in the face or body of the structure in the operation of casting it; and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a raised letter adapted to be secured in the tablet in the operation of casting.

A is the pedestal, and B is the shaft, of a monument. O is a head-tablet, and D is a foot-tablet, shown in connection with a grave. E is a glass block, bearing a letter raised on its face. F is a sunk inscription in the face of the tablet or monument.

It is the purpose to generally cast the object in its final form. In the case of a slab or tablet the same will consist of a solid mass, but bulky monuments may be made hollow; so the several parts of the monument, as A and B, may be cast separately and placed one upon the, other in the usual manner, and, if desired, the inner space or hollow may be filled with cement or any suitable material.

(No model.)

Obviously any desired color may be given to the monument-by coloring the glass in its molten state.

Sunken or intaglio inscriptions may be formed in casting the object by setting the necessary pattern-letters (of metal and of block form) in the mold before pouring.

Raised inscriptions maybe secured upon the face of the object by the following means: Blocks E of rectangular form and equal height, bearing the required letters and previously made, may be placed side by side in the mold, the raised letters on said blocks depending or projecting in a groove in the mold of proper width to admit them. The blocks being higher or taller than the letters thereon, the face of the blocks will rest on the face of the mold at each side of the slot. The molten glass being then poured into the mold, the blocks E will be securely cast into the body of the monument, and the face of said blocks will be flush with the face of the monument. The letters will, of course, project. The length of the slots may be varied, or they may be entirely stopped off by suitable plates secured to give a flush inner face to the mold. The blocks E and the letters may be of different color from the monument, sometimes with good effect. Block letters without the backing E may be secured superficially to the face of the object in casting the same by providing any suitable form of projections on the letters to be embraced by the molten substance. I Tiles and ornamental blocks may obviously be set in the face of the structure at small cost and very securely, and permanent figures, either inta-glio or cameo, may be formed by the mold.

It is evident that monuments and tablets of glass, as described, will have material advantages over marble by reason of greater cheapness and durability, and particularly by reason of their certainty to retain their orignal color and finish under the action of the elements.

In the following claim the term monument is used for convenience to embrace the several forms of commemorative structures mentioned and similar devices intended to be exposed to the action of the elements.

1 am aware that monuments have been made of glass in sections set in metal frames, and

that, broadly, the use of glass with other ma- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as terial is not new in monuments, and such I do my invention I aflix my signature in presence not claim. of two witnesses.

I claim as my invention- CHRISTOPHER YV. MCLEAN. 5 A monument composed entirel y of glass cast Witnesses:

to the form desired in one piece or in sections, J. M. HAFLEIGI-I, as set forth.

JOHN G. GRANGER. 

